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Re: Compact Fluoresent Bulbs

I have yet to replace any of mine.

As for the costs - there is a touch of a "surge" when turning the light on, but it's nearly undetectable. Watch Mythbusters.

I believe their conclusion was you could sit there all day, continually turning your light on and off, and it would have a nearly nil effect on your consumption. It certainly didn't come close to justifying leaving a light on.

Re: Compact Fluoresent Bulbs

I have replaced probably 20 of them in the last 3 years. They SUCK, and the light they give off is all over the place. Each brand looks totally different so you have bright and dim spots all over your house. I am so glad that regular light bulbs are going to be illegal in a few years.

Re: Compact Fluoresent Bulbs

Originally Posted by DaddyMac

I have yet to replace any of mine.

As for the costs - there is a touch of a "surge" when turning the light on, but it's nearly undetectable. Watch Mythbusters.

I believe their conclusion was you could sit there all day, continually turning your light on and off, and it would have a nearly nil effect on your consumption. It certainly didn't come close to justifying leaving a light on.

I don't remember what (if anything) they said about CFLs, but I think for incandescent bulbs they said if you're going to be out of the room for more than five minutes, turn them off.

Re: Compact Fluoresent Bulbs

Originally Posted by brianhos

I have replaced probably 20 of them in the last 3 years. They SUCK, and the light they give off is all over the place. Each brand looks totally different so you have bright and dim spots all over your house. I am so glad that regular light bulbs are going to be illegal in a few years.

Re: Compact Fluoresent Bulbs

Have yet to change any of mine (slowly installing them as the regular bulbs blow out). My only complaint is it seems that it takes several minutes for them to "warm up" before they're putting out full light, which sucks when it's dark and you need light immediately.

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Re: Compact Fluoresent Bulbs

Originally Posted by brianhos

I have replaced probably 20 of them in the last 3 years. They SUCK, and the light they give off is all over the place. Each brand looks totally different so you have bright and dim spots all over your house. I am so glad that regular light bulbs are going to be illegal in a few years.

They're just like the regular bulbs that way -- look at the package to see that you're buying all the same thing for a fixture. Also, make sure to read the info on the package to see whether it's okay for indoor or outdoor or upside down or whatever. we're so used to buying plain light bulbs, we don't realize the CF ones are different and fit uses differently.

I have a couple cool white ones in a ceiling fan that glow neon green for a few seconds after you turn it off. Kind of cool. But they don't match the other two in that fixture because I didn't buy enough of one kind.

Re: Compact Fluoresent Bulbs

Originally Posted by Ms3r4ISU

They're just like the regular bulbs that way -- look at the package to see that you're buying all the same thing for a fixture. Also, make sure to read the info on the package to see whether it's okay for indoor or outdoor or upside down or whatever. we're so used to buying plain light bulbs, we don't realize the CF ones are different and fit uses differently.

I have a couple cool white ones in a ceiling fan that glow neon green for a few seconds after you turn it off. Kind of cool. But they don't match the other two in that fixture because I didn't buy enough of one kind.

But it's so much easier to just ***** and moan about the inconvenience.

Re: Compact Fluoresent Bulbs

You should notice the packages list the "color" that the bulbs give off that can range from a bluer to a reder hue and a whole range in between. That isn't unique to CFL's at all

Never knew this. Guess I should read next time. I happen to like the bulbs. I dont replace them as often. Its a pain sometimes if you want instant light, but over all they give off a nice light in the rooms we use them in.

Re: Compact Fluoresent Bulbs

Does anyone get bothered by the annoying buzz that some of these CFLs give off? This, poor lighting and the delay from turning the switch to getting needed light are the biggest annoyances to me regarding CFLs. Wife loves them - I don't.

Re: Compact Fluoresent Bulbs

Originally Posted by abcguyks

Does anyone get bothered by the annoying buzz that some of these CFLs give off? This, poor lighting and the delay from turning the switch to getting needed light are the biggest annoyances to me regarding CFLs. Wife loves them - I don't.

Ive never heard a buzz. I have even bought the semi generic ones from Walmart and have had good luck.

Re: Compact Fluoresent Bulbs

Originally Posted by jdoggivjc

Have yet to change any of mine (slowly installing them as the regular bulbs blow out). My only complaint is it seems that it takes several minutes for them to "warm up" before they're putting out full light, which sucks when it's dark and you need light immediately.

Most of the bulbs in my house are Sylvannia and they warm up pretty quick and start out pretty bright.

I bought some more bulb shaped ones for the bathroom fixture and they take longer to warm up. At first my wife hated them. Then I told her that the on thing that I like about them is that they don't kill your eyes in the morning when you turn on the lights. Two weeks later I overheard her talking to a friend that asked what she thought of the CFL's. She replied that she really liked the fact that she could get up in the morning and the light didn't hurt her eyes. Sometimes you have to point out the positive otherwise someone will never see it.

Re: Compact Fluoresent Bulbs

Originally Posted by bostinelosd

Even 2 years is better than 6 months the traditional ones do. I am yet to replace mine though.

I'd like to see the math on that one.

I have had good luck with the ones that are meant to replace a typical light bulb. I've had horrible luck with the canister light replacements - very short life span. Given the cost of the compact, added to the shorter-than-advertised life span, I wonder if it is worth the purchase.

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